Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-04-27
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stout like her husband, and beamed so
geniaiiy upon Tad, through pair of
brass-bowed spectacles, a moment or
two later, that his heart warmed
toward her at once.
"Our house" was a funny little one
story building with what the Bixport
people call "gambrll roof" making
it seem TO an imaginative person as
though It were struggling its shoulders
with its hands In It's pockets. The
windows were small, with tiny panes
Of glass, and the front door. painted n
lively pea-green, had a wonderfully
bright brass knocker In the center of
the upper panel. There was weather
beaten barn at the rear. from whose
open doors issued focks Of noisy hens,
while . number of doves "courooed"
on the roofs In the sunshine; tho little
door-yard was ovorgrown with syringa
and lilac bushes, and tho two or three
dilapidated hower-beds wore bordered
with large clRm-shells.
Tad had a good chance 10 notice all
this, because the FlRggs were some lit
tie time in getting into the house, as ut
every few steps Mrs. Flagg had to stop
and speak of some bit of news, paren-
hesizing the same by giving Polly a
hug.
Polly had certain Bostonian expert
ences to narr-ste-particnlarly the one
where Tad and Bounce were prominent,
and even Captain Flagg himself tarried
on the doorstep a moment, to illus
trate, by Penciled diagram on the
threshold. the whereabouts of the
"Mary j." when Il came on TO blow
heavy from the west'ard the first night
out.
But finally they all got into the din
ing-room. where Ted seated himself in
very incorporating chair made to
Mt into n corner. and sitting on the ex-
tremo verge thereof, with his cap held
in both hands resting on his knees.
glanced interestedly about him, while
the tongues of the others wagged I'M
aaggingly-if 1 may be allowed the ex-
preston.
lie soon made up his mind that the
Inside Of the little house was as delight
fully quaint as its exterior. In the first
place, an oak wainscoting ran around
the walls nearly as high as Tad's shout.
der. All the furniture was black with
nge, and of the seyerest hair-cloth and
mahogany order. for. like the house, IL
had been In being considerably over q
century. In the corner stood a tall,
pale-faced clock, that had monotonous-
ly licked away hundred and ten years,
second by second On tho mantle were
some sea-shells. a pair of china vases,
and . small wooden ship. whitfield oui
by Ephraim x. Small. And beneath the
mantle was q large open fireplace
where the FIRE itself leaped up inces
sanity and rubbed its glowing hand.
together, with warm smiles that were
reflected in the polished faces Of the
brass-headed andirons. just such Z
ire as one likes to sit in front Of wher
IL 10 showing and sleeting and blowing
out-Of-dOors. and listen to tales Of ship
wrecks and storms ut sea-
The talk went on interruptedly TIL
dinner-time, and then came a meal. Il
which Tad did more than ample justice
de said afterward that he was ashamed
to have eaten so much But when 9
hungry growing boy Is set down to cold
beef. and hot biscuit. and fresh butter
and new gingerbread. with pie and
doughnuts besides. what else can b
expectedp
| After dinner PoIIv took Tad ant a